8  Woman  doctor 
tn  tf )t  Hanb  of 
jHorntng  Calm 


By  Frances  JL  Baker 


&  Ionian  Boctor  tn  tfje 
Hants  of  Jflormng  Calm 


A  Sketch  of  Dr.  Rosetta  Sherwood  Hall 

Young  Woman’s  Series,  No.  3 


IN  all  the  world-wide  mission  field  there  is  no 
gauge  for  measuring  the  progress  of  gospel 
missions  in  Pyeng  Yang,  north  Korea, 
except  Uganda.  Eight  years  after  the  first 
missionaries  stood  on  the  heights  of  the  walled  city 
of  seventy  or  eighty  thousand  people,  and  blew 
the  gospel  trumpet,  a  message  came  from  under 
the  sea:  “Seven  hundred  at  a  mid-week  prayer 
meeting  on  a  rainy  night.” 

The  beginning  of  missionary  interest  among  the 
Koreans  may  be  said  to  have  commenced  with  the 
coming  of  the  first  Korean  embassy  to  Washington, 
in  1883.  Two  years  later  Methodism  sent  out  her 
vanguard.  Affairs  were  in  an  unsettled  state  and 
at  times  civil  war  seemed  imminent.  Just  after  the 
opening  of  certain  ports,  the  Queen  was  cruelly 
murdered.  The  social  customs  of  the  people  like¬ 
wise  presented  a  group  of  obstacles,  especially  the 
severe  code  of  seclusion  surrounding  the  women, 
which  is  most  binding  on  the  high  class. 

Not  only  must  the  social  position  of  women  be 
altered  for  the  better,  but  there  were  other  com¬ 
motions  to  be  introduced  into  this  Land  of  Morn¬ 
ing  Calm.  There  was  no  Bible,  no  dictionary,  no 
grammar,  not  even  a  leaflet  to  put  into  the  hands 
of  the  people.  It  was  “the  nick  of  time  to  create 
a  Christian  literature.  What  Luther  did  for  the 
German  language,  Christian  missions  are  doing  for 


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A  Woman  Doctor  in  the  Land  °f  Morning  Calm 


the  Korean,  and  in  the  same  way,  by  casting  aside 
hide-bound  Chinese  forms  and  clothing  the  Bible 
in  the  Korean  tongue.  Korea  is  at  the  stage  where 
England  was  in  the  days  of  WyclifFe.  All  the 
modern  school-books  may  easily  be  Christian.” 

In  1890  Dr.  Rosetta  Sherwood  was  sent  by  the 
Methodist  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
to  take  up  the  work  laid  down  by  Dr.  Metta 
Howard,  the  first  woman  physician  to  Korea. 
After  her  graduation  from  the  Woman’s  Medical 
College  in  Philadelphia,  she  engaged  in  mission 
work  in  New  York  under  the  superintendency  of 
Dr.  James  Hall,  whom  she  afterwards  married  in 
Korea.  It  was  through  no  fault  of  Dr.  Hall’s  that 
the  marriage  was  not  consummated  in  the  home 
land.  But  the  destiny  that  shaped  their  ends  sent 
them  to  Korea  within  a  year  of  each  other,  and 
after  six  months  they  were  happily  married,  in  1892, 
and  went  to  China  on  their  wedding  trip.  When 
they  returned  they  at  once  created  an  ideal  home  in 
Seoul,  but  were  soon  temporarily  parted  by  the 
powers  that  be,  he  to  open  up  work  in  the  wicked 
city  of  Pyeng  Yang,  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles 
distant,  she  to  continue  in  charge  of  the  Woman’s 
Hospital,  the  first  in  Korea.  This  sacrifice  for  the 
Master’s  work  was  borne  bravely  by  both  for  His 
sake. 

In  the  first  school  for  girls  founded  in  Seoul  by 
Mrs.  M.  F.  Scranton  of  the  same  Society,  despite 
the  Korean  saying  “What’s  the  use  of  sending  a 
girl  to  school?  A  girl  is  no  good,  except  to  get 
married  and  sew  and  work  for  her  lord  and  master,” 
—  in  that  school  was  a  girl  called  Chyon  Tong, 
She  was  converted  in  her  own  room,  then  invited 
the  other  girls  to  come  and  pray  for  clean  hearts,  and 
this  was  the  origin  of  woman’s  prayer  meetings  in 
Korea.  Dr.  Sherwood  was  obliged  to  enter  upon 


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A  Woman  Doctor  in  the  Land  g f  Morning  Calm 


her  profession  immediately  upon  her  arrival,  and 
Chyon  Tong,  understanding  English  better  than 
any  one  else,  was  sent  to  the  hospital  to  interpret 
for  her.  The  doctor  in  turn  taught  her  physiology 
and  later  materia  medica,  while  each  day  she  re¬ 
ceived  practical  lessons  in  compounding  drugs  and 
caring  for  the  sick.  She  was  baptized  with  the 
name  of  “Esther.”  When  she  was  sixteen  years 
old  she  had  to  conform  to  the  universal  custom  and 
be  married,  and  unless  her  Christian  friends  found 
her  a  husband,  her  family  would,  and  that  meant  a 
heathen.  Her  friends  looked  around  and  decided 
upon  a  Mr.  Pak,  a  Christian  convert.  The  couple 
did  not  see  each  other  until  the  wedding  day,  when 
they  were  married  by  a  Christian  ceremony.  Esther 
Pak,  whose  name  is  now  so  familiar,  continued  her 
medical  training. 

Dr.  Sherwood  was  from  the  first  most  intensely 
devoted  to  her  chosen  profession,  but  at  the  same 
time  always  intent  to  improve  every  opportunity  to 
present  the  Gospel  to  her  patients,  visiting  them 
after  their  discharge  from  the  hospital,  teaching 
them  in  their  homes  and  doing  her  best  to  keep  in 
touch  with  them  and  to  influence  them.  She  tried 
to  make  her  own  wants  and  requirements  as  few 
and  as  simple  as  possible,  so  as  to  be  able  to  devote 
the  more  time  to  her  work  among  the  women  for 
whom  it  was  her  delight  to  labor.  In  1893  she 
began  work  in  Chemulpo,  the  first  work  among 
women  outside  of  Seoul.  The  success  was  such 
that  whole  families  were  won  to  Christ. 

In  May,  1894,  Dr.  Hall  took  Mrs.  Hall  and  their 
little  boy,  Sherwood — about  six  months  old — with 
him  to  Pyeng  Yang  for  the  first  time,  in  the  hope 
that  the  presence  and  sight  of  an  American  woman 
and  little  child  would,  in  view  of  their  great  curiosity 
and  love  for  little  children,  help  to  overcome  the 


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A  Woman  Doctor  in  the  Land  g f  Morning  Calm 


prejudice  of  the  people  against  the  foreigners  and 
win  their  friendship.  On  the  way  by  steamer  they 
encountered  a  typhoon  and  were  obliged  to  anchor 
for  thirty-three  hours.  They  were  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Pak  and  Esther,  his  wife,  as  helpers.  On  their 
arrival  they  were  met  by  the  native  Christians  and 
Mrs.  Hall  agreed  to  “receive”  the  following  day. 
Bravely  she  allowed  hundreds  of  curious  women 
and  children  to  come  in  to  see  herself,  the  second 
white  woman  ever  in  that  city,  and  her  baby,  the 
first  foreign  white  baby.  “  Strange  foreign  child,” 
they  said,  “with  gray  hair  like  an  old  person.” 
Mrs.  Hall  says  “the  people  seemed  friendly  and  I 
liked  them,” 

The  following  day,  instigated  by  the  officers, 
persecution  began.  Native  Christians  were  cast 
into  prison,  with  their  feet  made  fast  in  the  stocks. 
In  the  evening  “Mr.  Pak  was  beaten  in  sight  of  us 
all,”  says  Mrs.  Hall,  “  by  the  Captain  of  the  dis¬ 
trict,  and  later,  a  stone  that  was  directed  against 
me  as  I  stood  in  front  of  our  open  window,  fell, 
crushing  a  jar  just  beneath  the  window.”  Dr. Hall 
wired  Seoul,  and  the  British  consul  general  and  the 
American  minister  commanded  protection  at  once, 
according  to  treaty,  and  the  release  of  the  prisoners. 
Oriental  delay  was  interjected,  but  their  efforts 
were  finally  successful.  The  news  touched  all 
Christian  hearts  and  the  missionaries  of  all  denomi¬ 
nations  in  Seoul  gathered  for  prayer  in  behalf  of 
these  loved  ones.  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  the 
same  hour  Dr.  Hall  wired,  “All  released.”  The 
Presbyterian  missionaries,  Moffett  and  McKenzie, 
travelled  day  and  night  as  a  relief  party  and  reached 
them  in  four  days,  and  a  week  later  the  Methodist 
superintendent,  Dr.  Scranton,  arrived.  After 
thirty-six  hours  in  prison,  threatened  many  times 
with  death,  all  were  sent  for  bv  the  magistrate, 


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A  Woman  Doctor  in  the  Land  g f  Morning  Calm 


beaten  and  discharged,  but  stoned  all  the  way 
home.  But  religious  toleration  was  won. 

The  Halls  remained  a  month,  treating  patients 
daily  and  holding  religious  services  Sundays  and 
every  night.  The  interest  in  Christianity  was 
deepening,  wrhen  there  came  an  order  from  the 
American  consul  to  come  to  an  open  port.  They 
took  the  last  steamer  before  the  war.  It  was  filled 
wfith  soldiers,  and  on  reaching  Chemulpo  they  found 
the  harbor  crowded  with  men  of  war.  The  China- 
Japan  war  was  on.  Pyeng  Yang  became  a  great 
battle-field.  That  fall,  after  an  illness  of  a  few 
days,  Dr.  Hall  died,  a  victim  to  the  dreaded  typhus 
fever  which  he  contracted  while  trying  to  relieve 
the  suffering  of  the  people  caused  by  war.  Mrs. 
Hall  with  her  little  boy  and  a  sweet,  sad  memory 
as  a  constant  companion,  decided  to  return  to  the 
home  of  her  parents  for  a  while.  She  took  with 
her  Esther  Kim  Pak  and  her  husband,  with  the 
purpose  of  educating  Esther  as  a  physician  to  return 
to  work  among  her  own  people.  Dr.  Pak  took  her 
degree  in  Baltimore,  the  first  Korean  woman  to  take 
up  the  study  of  medicine,  and  returned,  in  1899,  to 
meet  the  expectation  of  friends,  giving  valuable 
assistance  and  in  the  first  ten  months  treating  nearly 
3,000  cases. 

In  the  fall  of  1897,  Dr.  Hall  returned  to  Korea 
with  her  two  children,  Sherwood  and  Edith  Marga¬ 
ret.  She  spent  the  winter  in  Seoul  helping  Dr. 
Cutler  in  the  medical  work  and  adapting  the  “  New 
York  Point”  system  for  the  blind  to  the  Korean 
alphabet,  with  a  view  to  doing  something  for  the 
many  blind  in  Korea.  In  the  spring  of  1898,  she 
went  again  to  Pyeng  Yang,  gladly  going  to  wrork 
among  the  very  people  for  whom  her  husband  had 
laid  down  his  life.  She  had  first  to  pass  through  a 
baptism  of  great  sorrow,  as  in  1894  they  had  to  go 


A  Woman  Doctor  in  the  Land  g f  Morning  Calm 


through  severe  persecution.  Scarcely  had  she 
reached  there  when  her  little  daughter  was  taken 
sick  and  was  soon  transplanted  to  the  heavenly 
home, — Edith  whom  God  had  lent  to  the  bereaved 
widow  for  three  short  years.  She  sleeps  besides  her 
father  on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Han  river  near 
Seoul. 

During  the  first  year  after  her  return  to  Pyeng 
Yang,  Dr.  Hall  selected  a  blind  Korean  girl  and 
taught  her  the  adapted  “New  York  Point,’’  with 
a  view  to  training  her  to  teach  other  blind  children. 
Blind  girls  in  Korea  are  looked  upon  as  a  kind  of 
sorceress,  and  their  misfortune  is  used  to  darken 
not  only  their  own  minds  but  those  of  others.  This 
work  for  the  blind  has  been  continued  by  Dr.  Hall, 
and  her  girls  are  making  progress  in  reading  and 
writing,  in  book-making,  and  in  industrial  training 
and  massage  treatment. 

Friends  had  taken  the  hospital  fund  raised  by  Dr. 
James  Hall,  and  added  to  it  and  built  a  memorial 
hospital,  with  a  woman’s  ward  and  a  comfortable 
home,  all  under  one  roof.  Dr.  Rosetta  Hall  again 
took  up  her  dispensary  work,  and  being  summoned 
to  the  Governor’s  to  treat  his  wife,  whom  she  re¬ 
lieved  soon,  the  Governor  expressed  his  gratitude 
by  a  present  of  one  hundred  eggs  and  three  spring 
chickens.  A  little  later,  when  asked  to  name  the 
medical  plant,  he  gladly  sent  “Woman’s  Dispen¬ 
sary  of  Extended  Grace,” — a  marked  contrast  to 
the  treatment  of  the  former  Governor,  who  favored 
the  persecution  in  1894. 

With  Edith’s  small  savings  together  with  the 
proceeds  of  her  store  of  goods  as  a  nucleus,  Dr. 
Hall  commenced  building  some  children’s  wards. 
Friends  at  home  aided  in  this  beautiful  memorial 
until  she  had  nearly  $500.  All  the  material  had  to 
be  prepared  by  hand.  There  is  nothing  like  it  in 

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A  Woman  Doctor  in  the  Land  g f  Morning  Calm 


the  city,  with  its  two  stories,  brick  chimney,  gal¬ 
vanized  iron  roof,  and  side  boarded  and  painted, — 
a  serious  undertaking  for  a  carpenter,  who  had 
never  seen  such  a  building.  On  the  anniversary  of 
Edith’s  birthday,  the  mother  joyfully  gathered  in  a 
few  little  Korean  girls  for  a  birthday  treat.  This 
building  will  form  a  wing  of  the  woman’s  hospital 
soon  to  be  built. 

Dr.  Hall  makes  country  trips  and  holds  training 
classes  that  prove  very  helpful  to  the  women.  At 
an  Easter  service,  Sherwood  passed  his  cap  and  took 
up  the  first  “collection”  ever  taken  in  the  place — 
131  Pyeng  Yang  cash,  or  26  sen,  an  average  of  one 
sen  apiece  for  those  present.  A  native  evangelist 
who  was  present,  told  the  people  about  the  first 
collection  Sherwood’s  father  took  in  Pyeng  Yang, 
which,  though  less  than  this,  was  to  enable  them  in 
time  to  build  their  own  church,  and  he  suggested 
that  this  money  be  used  as  the  nucleus  of  a  fund  for 
a  church  building  in  Nampo. 

It  might  be  supposed  that  the  Russo-Japan  war 
would  have  completely  disrupted  missionary  work, 
and  early  in  1904  it  did  look  to  some  of  the  mis¬ 
sionaries  as  if  they  would  be  compelled  to  leave 
Pyeng  Yang,  and  perhaps  Korea,  as  the  heavy 
firing  was  heard  on  the  other  side  of  the  Yalu. 
The  King’s  palace  in  Seoul,  when  burned,  was 
almost  directly  in  front  of  the  Methodist  Com¬ 
pound,  and  for  a  few  hours  there  was  great  anxiety, 
as  the  sparks  were  flying  in  all  directions.  But 
through  it  all,  even  in  Pyeng  Yang,  the  war  has 
interfered  with  missionary  work  but  slightly.  In 
some  degree  it  has  probably  helped  by  turning 
the  minds  of  the  people,  as  in  other  war  days,  away 
from  all  human  reliance,  toward  God. 


P.  R.  WARREN  CO.,  PRINTERS,  BOSTON.  4928 


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